1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fluid strut for a motor vehicle. The fluid strut includes a cylinder and a piston rod connected to a piston. The piston is contained in the interior of the cylinder, which also contains a charge under pressure. The end of the cylinder which contains the exit for the piston rod contains a gasket and a guide rod for the piston rod. The cylinder also contains a valve device which acts when there is a thermal overload on the actuator element to open a passage channel which connects the interior of the cylinder to the atmosphere.
2. Background Information
German Laid Open Patent Application No. 41 01 567.3, for example, describes a known similar fluid strut. Attempts to reduce the risk represented in the event of a fire by the actuator element in the device described in the above-referenced unexamined patent application have led to good results. This problem must frequently be dealt with in relation to applications in motor vehicles in particular.